Gods Judgments Upon Drunkards Swearers and Sabbath Breakers, To the reader – Table of contents
TO THE READER.
WHen I weigh my owne unworthineſſe in the ballance with any thing that may be called a work for God, I am extremely diſcouraged to adventure; wondring more that the Lord ſhould not rather make me a warning to others, by his Judgements upon me for my own ſin, then to write examples of others; In the deep ſence whereof, I cannot ſay that I was conſtrained to this work, purely from thoſe noble and divine principles, which ſhould move in the wheeles of all undertakings for the glory of God▪ and good of others, leſt I deceive my own ſpirit; though … deſire a heart for both; Fo… upon a ſtrict ſcrutiny, it will be found a difficult, and more then common attainment… though moſt men are loath▪ but in all their deſignes to plume themſelves with theſe fair feathers; ſo that in modeſty I chooſe to be rather jealous it is not ſo, then boaſt it as a reaſon that it is, I can indeed ſay and that truly, that I am an honourer, and lover of Order, Decency, and good Government in a Nation, City, or Town; and from a naturall and moral principle, do deteſt theſe three ſins of Drunkenneſſe, Swearing, and Sabbath-breaking, as they ſtrike at the Honour of Order, Government: and the Reputation of a Nation, place or perſon: and I wiſh this principle were wrought in ſuch ingenuous perſons, as otherwiſe are not perſwaded of a greater evill in theſe ſins; they are evills that wound the glory of God, honour of a Chriſtian ſtate, and the good of a civill Government; yet have I been wound up to more then a common hatred of theſe notorious ſinnes, ſince I have ſeen the face of them in the glaſſe of Gods Judgements.
I have obſerved Drunkenneſſe, Swearing, and the ſlight obſervance of the Lords day, with the profanation of it, to grow the more by oppoſition, which I think is, becauſe but ſlenderly punniſhed, like the Seas, where but bounded with weak banks, rages and roares the more, when they are broken down; I have likewiſe obſerved, that that which ſhould be our greateſt honor, is turned into ſin, in that they which are under the ſtricteſt tye to Chriſtianity by profeſſion, ſhould ſo profane the Lords day, and keep it with leſſe exactneſſe, then the Heathens do their dayes of worſhiping the Devil, whilſt we in troops runne to the profanation of God and his holy Ordinances, by more then the one halfe of moſt Pariſhes abſenting themſelves from the Congregation, and either prophane the day by drinking, or, which is as ſad, by a more then Heatheniſh idleneſſe and ſloathfull contempt of their own ſalvation; nay, and this is ſo common, that it ſeems not otherwiſe, then if it were turned into a Law to contemne the meanes of ſalvatien, and ſlight, and abuſe ſuch as would turn them aſide from hell and eternal damnation; and by this meanes they ſlight the faithful Miniſters of the Goſpel, that labour night and day for the good of our ſoules, which I account the firſt ſtep to Apoſtaſy from the ways of God.
I have likewiſe obſerved the ſlack execution of lawes, by Juſtices not performeing their duties, diſcourageing under Officers, and leaving them a ſcorn and a reproach to wicked and ungodly men; and if it pleaſe not the Lord to ſtir up the hearts of Juſtices of the Peace themſelves, to ſearch diligently, to go about and find out diſordered houſes, (the plagues of the Nation) and hunt men out of their houſes to the congregation, ſin will grow impudent, and bold; If I ſay they do not ſhew their faces, to encourage and ſet a rate upon others under them; men will be hardened in their wayes, and be taught to grow worſe by the faintneſſe of juſtice; and this I account a duty, which a good conſcience rightly principled cannot ſhift, nor excuſe before God or their own conſciences.
The conſideration of theſe things, with the tendency of all to ruine, where theſe evills are not redreſſed, put me upon this, (I hope uſeful, and may I not ſay neceſſary?) work; eſpecially conſidering the uſe of Judgements; their Energy if pondered in a ſober and deliberate mind; they walk not alone, the cauſes and ends are to be examined; nor are they only limited to the perſons or ſins they puniſh, but for warning others from the like ſins, or any other ſinnes whatſoever. And we ſee how God loves to warne before he ſtrike, ſo he did to Nineve and Belſhazar, and uſed very much of long-ſuffering and patience to Pharaoh, whoſe heart at laſt not taking warning, he …ardened; what are examples of Gods Judgements upon others for, if not to keep us from being the examples our ſelves?
And though Precepts in…eed are very binding, yet they never ſhine ſo much, as when ſet in examples. We are all acquainted how little hold reproofs, admonitions, and exhortations from the Pulpit take of men: therefore it is, that I have great hopes, that theſe examples may do good; for as one in another caſe ſayes,
A Verſe may find him whom a Sermon flyes,
And turn delight into a Sacrifice.
So ſuch as come not to hea… their ſins ript open in a Soul… ſearching Sermon, may by reading, or hearing theſe examples, be frightened at the voyce of Gods Judgements. To conſider the ſeverity of God to thoſe that fell, may well make us think with our ſelves, ſhall I that am guilty as much as others, be yet in the land of the living? will not the Patience, Goodneſſe, and Long-ſuffering of God, lead us to repentance? I ſay examples are of more force to move, nay to inſtruct, then the Arguments and proofs of Reaſon, or their preciſe Precepts; for they ſhew things not onelyonly …n the Theory, but in the practice and execution. It's reported of one Waldus in France, that at the ſight of Gods Judgement upon on… that was ſuddenly ſtruck dead; went home, and admoniſhed his friends to repent, and turne from their evill wayes, and wa… himſelf a famous Chriſtian… from whom alſo ſprang the name of the Waldenſes. Examples mix ſo with the Apprehenſions, as they force the mind to a deeper underſtanding, and ſearch, of the ends and cauſes of them.
What I have collected are not of common examples, which daily preſent themſelves before our eye… but ſuch as are the moſt notorious and remarkable, and I queſtion not but authentick; thoſe of modern and more late experience, I have taken from ſuch Authours as are living, and who from their own knowledge have given teſtimony to the truth of them.
Now what am I, that ſhould undertake to direct others in that, wherein I am to ſeek my ſelf by walking below the ſtrictneſſe of what I preſcribe to others, and ſhort of my own duty, having, it may be, that found upon my trencher, which I diſſwade others from as pernicious? yet I conſider the advantages of the undertaking, and, it may be, this may be one to my ſelf, that theſe ſtrict limits to others, will girt me more ſtraitly within the compaſſe of my own duty; and though this hath been ſtrugling for a Birth a long time yet now the truth and integrity of my intentions have prevailed to launch into a Sea of cenſures, and if I aim at the good of others in the reformation of their minds and manners; I am ſure it cannot be any hurt to them or my ſelf: and this is the Rock on which I hope to ſtand againſt the proud aſſaults of envy or detraction; for if any thing in the ayme or intention be good, it's made of more value by the diffuſive Quality of it, in diſaffecting that humour of Aſpendius, who delighted to play on his Harp, ſo that none ſhould heare but himſelfe.
I ſhall conclude in the words of the Apoſtle, and pray:Tit. 2.11, a 2. That the love of God which hath appeared unto all men, may teach us to deny all ungodlineſſe, and worldly luſts; and to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world.
W. L.
THE CONTENTS of the whole.
THe Character of Drunkards. Page 1.2.3.
Drunkenneſſe a ſin againſt the lawes of Temperance and Sobriety, and the practice of Heathens againſt it. 4.5.
The ſtrict lawes of Heathens againſt Drunnkenneſſe. 6.
The ſpiritual evils of Drunkenneſſe. 7.
Drunkenneſſe the fountain of other ſins. 8.9.
The outward evils which accompany this ſin of Drunkenneſſe, conſumption of eſtate, ruine of relations, loſſe of health, a ſhame to friends, ſcorn to ſervants, deriſion to boyes, loſſe of ſences, &c. 10.11.12. &c.
A friendly exhortation to ſuch Gentlemen as are tempted to this ſin; eſpecially to the moſt learned, and ingenuous perſons. 16.17. &c.
Gods threatnings aginſt Drunkenneſſe. 21.22.
Gods righteous and terrible Judgements upon ſuch as take not warning; in a collection of the moſt choyce examples, ſuch only as bear the ſtrongeſt remark of Gods diſpleaſure. 23.24. to 45.
Some few diſſwaſives from this ſin of drunkenneſſe. 46.47.
Of profane taking the Lords name in vain by curſed oathes, &c. 51.
The ſeveral aggravations of this ſin of curſing and ſwearing. 52.
Swearing a ſinne directly againſt God himſelf. ibid.
It's a ſin of high ingratitude. 53
The ſin of the Devils in Hell. 54
No profit by it. ibid
Heathens deteſt it. 55
Diſſuaſives from it. 56.57
The ſeverity of former lawes, and time againſt wicked ſwearing. 57.
Gods threatnings againſt it. 58.
Gods ſeverity in his juſt Judgements upon ſuch as practiſed it, in a few ſad and doleful examples. 59, 60. to 59.
The ſin of profaningg the Sabbath day, a great ſin. 83.84.
The ſtrict command of God himſelfe to obſerve it. 85.
Gods own practice for our example, to keep one day in ſeven from labour, &c. 84.
Gods end in commanding us to obſerve it, is for our own good. 88.
The reaſonableneſſe of Gods command, for one in ſeven. 89.
The breach of this day a great ſin by many high aggravations of it, &c. 90.
A ſin againſt Gods daily bleſſings and mercy to us. 91.
A word to ſuch as ſit idly at home on the Lords day. 92.
A word to ſuch as profane it, by playing, drinking, &c. 91.
Perſwaſions to hear the Word, and attend Ordinances, as the greateſt advantages to our ſoules. 93.94.
Objections anſwered. 95.
Gods threatenings againſt Sabbath-breakers. 96.97.
Gods ſevere examples of Judgement and Juſtice upon the profaners of the Sabbath day. 98.99. to 125.
Concluſion. 125.126.127.128.